Mining community activist murdered on South Africa’s Wild Coast

Sikhosiphi “Bazooka” Rhadebe, chairperson of the Amadiba Crisis Committee, was murdered outside his home on 22 March 2016, by men claiming to be police officers.

Rhadebe, nicknamed “Bazooka”, was a prominent opponent of the proposed Xolobeni mine, in the pristine Wild Coast region of South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

Two men claiming to be police officers arrived at Rhadebe’s house in a car with a blue flashing light. They claimed he was under arrest, but when he went outside to their car, he was shot eight times in front of his family.

Earlier the same evening, Rhadebe phoned other community activists to warn them that they were in danger, as he had seen their names on a list of activists opposing the mine.

The proposed titanium mine is a project by Transworld, a wholly owned subsidiary of Australian corporation Mineral Commodities. The mine is being developed in partnership with a local company, the Xolobeni Empowerment Company.

The development has met fierce resistance from the local community. It is being built on ancestral land which the community uses for subsistence. The community formed the Amadiba Crisis Committee in 2007, and recently filed a legal objection to the mining.

The murder follows ten years of smouldering conflict, with community activists refusing the company access to the land, and incidents of violence and intimidation against community members. The Amadiba Crisis Committee accuses Mineral Commodities and its local partners and allies of using violence to intimidate the community into accepting the mine.

Mineral Commodities denies involvement and said in a statement that it “condemns violence”. However, executive director Mark Caruso had previously threatened to “rain down vengeance” on opponents of another mine being developed by the company in South Africa.

IndustriALL mining director Glen Mpufane said:

“The murder of “Bazooka” Rhadebe at the operations of Mineral Commodities on the Wild Coast comes as no surprise to those who have been following the ongoing conflict in the Xolobeni community.

“It fits the pattern of a global mining industry intent on profit and plunder at any cost. Our experience shows that shadowy paramilitary forces often target community and trade union activists, and we are outraged that this has happened at Xolobeni.

“IndustriALL believes that sustainable mining requires trade union and community involvement. We condemn Mineral Commodities for failing to respect the Australian code of conduct for multinational companies, and we demand accountability.”

Workers killed at Glencore’s Katanga mine in Congo

Katanga is 75 per cent owned by the Swiss mining giant Glencore.

The mine suffered what Glencore calls a “geotechnical failure” – a landslide – on the wall of the open pit mine on the morning of 8 March 2016.

Seven workers who were known to be in the area were unaccounted for. Three bodies were recovered two days after the incident. The other four bodies remain missing. Glencore reports that recovery teams are still searching for them. Meanwhile, the company has given financial assistance to the victims’ families for funeral costs and a mourning period.

The Katanga mine is near the city of Kolwezi, in the copper and cobalt belt in the south of the country. It is a brownfield site that is being redeveloped. Katanga boasts on its website of having “one of the lowest unit production costs in the world” at the site.

Cobalt is a vital component of mobile phone batteries. Attempts by mining multinationals like Glencore to push unit costs as low as possible contribute to a poor health and safety culture, and may have been a factor in this accident.

Glencore is one of the largest and most diversified mining and commodity companies in the world. The company is hostile to unions, and in many of its global operations is attempting to replace experienced permanent staff with precarious workers. Despite claiming to be an industry leader in health and safety, the company has a poor record and has run hazardous operations with untrained scab labour.

Glencore prioritizes resource extraction and low unit cost over safety and good working conditions. The company has long been the target of sustained union and community campaigns. IndustriALL operates a global network of union activists fighting for justice at Glencore.

Glen Mpufane, director of mining at IndustriALL, said:

We are deeply saddened by yet more loss of life at a Glencore mine and send our sincere condolences to the families of the victims. Glencore says it is a leader in health and safety in the mining industry but this latest tragedy makes a mockery of their claims. No amount of compensation from Glencore can make up for the loss of a loved one.

IndustriALL denounces attacks in Turkey and Ivory Coast

In Turkey 37 people were killed in a suicide bomb in the capital, Ankara, on 13 March. Only last month 28 people were murdered in a car bomb targeting military personnel in the city. It follows the death in October last year of more than 100 people in a suicide bombing on a peace march organized by trade unions and civil society organizations in the city.

Now, Ivory Coast is in shock after 15 civilians and three security personnel were killed by Al Qaeda Islamist militants at the beach resort of Grand Bassam. The attackers stopped at a bar for a beer before embarking on their coldblooded rampage. Security forces killed three of the attackers.

“IndustriALL Global Union and our 50 million members strongly condemn these callous, cowardly attacks on defenseless people going about their daily lives. We offer our deepest condolences to families of the victims and stand shoulder to shoulder with our affiliates in Turkey and Ivory Coast,” said Kemal Ôzkan, assistant general secretary of IndustriALL. "These attacks will never frighten us away from our historic mission and struggle for democracy and fundamental human rights, of which trade union liberties are an essential part."

Ivory Coast: oil workers’ union in clash with Petroci

Fifty of Petroci’s 600 workers were laid off illegally in January when the company failed to follow the necessary procedures in the case of terminations for economic reasons.

The company should have consulted with the union, staff representatives and relevant authorities about the redundancies and given clear reasons to justify the lay-offs, among other measures.

Following a series of 72-hour strikes last month, the union succeeded in reinstating a pregnant worker and a staff representative who were protected under the country’s labour laws.

However, Petroci is again failing to meet legal requirements in providing proper compensation for the remaining 48 workers. The company has offered damages and compensation that are below the levels required under the labour code .

Jeremie Wondje, general secretary of SYNTEPCI, said:

“The director general of Petroci has recognized that the company did not respect the law and therefore must pay damages. However, once again Petroci is failing to comply with the law by offering levels of compensation that are unacceptable.”

“The silence from the authorities is worrying, especially because the law is very clear in what it demands from each party, but we are more worried that the director general of Petroci has refused our offer of a social plan for the retrenched workers,” he added.

“We are waiting for a meeting with the ministry of labour hoping that things will develop positively. Further strike action has been suspended but the fight continues,” said Wondje.

Jyrki Raina, general secretary of IndustriALL, said:

“Petroci is not above the law. We call on Petroci to respect national legislation and, above all, workers who have a right to be fairly compensated for losing their jobs. This is not the behaviour to be expected from a state-owned company.”

New union challenges the status quo in DR Congo

Formed only in 2011, TUMEC today has more than 10,000 members from seven provinces. Workers have been drawn in by a promise of doing things differently. Traditionally, trade unionism in the DRC has been shrouded by controversy. For a long time, it remained within the realm of the state and more or less equalled state and private sector interests.

In 1990 as a multi-party system was reinstated, the number of unions increased, producing over 600 unions. Unions emerged as a business model for the benefit of their founders, described as mutually supporting employers, without prioritizing workers’ rights, needs or interest. An open and accepted system of gifts (or bribes) to workers is all too often used to gain votes for union representation.

TUMEC has taken on the challenge to reform, break down barriers and take a new path. It has worked hard to develop a new way of doing things, along with building its own ideological perspective on work relations, representation, equality and leadership. Inspiring leadership and a clear and convincing message are resonating in the difficult conditions and lack of representation that workers have experienced in the DRC.

Through both the Swedish funded IndustriALL Union Building Project and the Dutch funded TUMEC project, TUMEC has succeeded in initiating progressive reforms and increase its attention to serving members, not the other way round.

TUMEC aims to work through a set of principles of unionism in strong contrast to the corruption potential inherent in the established system. TUMEC is working hard to design a more democratic and open system in the appointment of leadership and the management of union affairs.

The most noteworthy has been the slow but thorough construction of trade union systems were almost none existed. TUMEC has increased its focus on strengthening accountability and transparency in the management of union affairs. The union has developed clear mechanisms for combating corruption and enhancing accountability. It has found unique ways to engage with workers and members, not only at work places but also within the community itself, much appreciated by the workers.

Fernando Lopes, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, says that TUMEC’s work in the DRC is ground breaking:

“There is a lot to be learnt from TUMEC’s approach to union building. Many challenges remain, for example in terms of expansion and capacity building, but it is clear that the hard work put into breaking old traditions and instead creating a modern, active union owned by its members has been successful.”

Glencore unions build strength in Cape Town

As commodity prices continue to fall around the world, the mining crisis is intensifying.

The IndustriALL Glencore Global Network met in Cape Town on 9 – 10 February. Participants from Chile, Argentina, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Canada, USA and Australia shared their experiences from Glencore operations around the world and set a plan for union action.

“These are our jobs, our livelihood,” says Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL mining director. “International standards exist to ensure that multinationals cooperate with unions in times of crisis to minimize the impact on workers. Unfortunately Glencore is turning a blind eye to these standards.”

“The company has a long history of aggression against unions and collective bargaining is the first victim as the sector bleeds.”

Sixteen months ago, Glencore locked out members of IndustriALL US affiliate the United Steel Workers after the union rejected the company’s first offer at the bargaining table. Since then, Glencore – which claims to be an industry leader in health and safety – has operated the hazardous Sherwin Alumina processing plant in Texas with untrained scab labour. Now the multinational is trying to cheat workers and other creditors out of tens of millions of dollars by shifting ownership from one Glencore subsidiary to another under US ‘chapter 11’ bankruptcy law.

The network expressed its solidarity with USW and called on Glencore to secure a resolution to the conflict.

In addition, the network expressed its solidarity with SUTRACOMASA, a union at Antamina in Peru belonging to IndustriALL affiliate FNTMMSP, whose leadership has faced death threats while engaging in collective bargaining.

Many of the participants reported of permanent employees being replaced by contract workers with worse salaries and conditions. An increased number of precarious workers also leads to lower union density – in many countries it is impossible to join a union on a temporary employment contract.

The network also heard reports of positive developments, such as in Argentina where IndustriALL affiliate AOMA has negotiated the same conditions for contract workers as for permanent workers.

As Andrew Vickers, chair of IndustriALL mining sector and general secretary of IndustriALL affiliate CFMEU, pointed out – the global trade union movement doesn’t walk away from a fight.

“Global network campaigns are one way of winning a fight. And this is also an opportunity for our unions to organize and grow in strength.”

The Glencore Global Network adopted a solidarity resolution for the three miners trapped underground in the Lily mine in South Africa, wishing for their safe return to the surface and calling for an end to bad management and blatant neglect for worker safety in the mining industry.

Glencore is one of the largest and most diversified mining and commodity companies in the world.

Madagascar – Court decision shows Sherritt is not above the law

It means Barson Rakotomanga, an elected staff representative and a member of the work council at Ambatovy, should be reinstated at the mine. Barson was laid off seven months ago after he led a strike in reaction to the death of a fellow worker. Following intervention by the Ministry of Labour he was fired on 27 November.

The Supreme Court is the last instance for a legal fight in Madagascar. Barson, who has been without pay since he was laid off, told of his relief to hear that Madagascar’s highest court had ruled in his favour. He said the decision gave hope to the other 15 elected staff and union representatives who have been dismissed by Sherritt for economic reasons.

As an elected staff representative, Barson is protected by law and Sherritt’s request for his dismissal was subject to the approval of the labour inspector of the region. The labour inspector found the company’s actions violated freedom of association and, instead, asked Sherritt to keep Barson on.

Sherritt took the case to the Ministry of Labour who then cancelled the decision of the labour inspector allowing Sherritt to terminate Barson’s employment contract, under the allegation that he had damaged the reputation of the company, nationally and internationally. The Ministry of Labour also said the disturbances could have a direct impact on the country’s economy.

However, SVS, Barson’s trade union which is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, took the case to the Supreme Court, which said that there was strong evidence to suspend the Ministry of Labour’s decision, which also infringed the right of trade unions to organize.

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL’s director of mining, said:

“This is a very important ruling and we hope, a precedent, that will send a message to Sherritt that Madagascar is a constitutional state and that the separation of powers is meant to prevent the very abuses that Sherritt is renowned for in Madagascar. We hope the Supreme Court’s decision shows trade unions in Madagascar that Sherritt does not own the country. This ruling gives trade unions the political space and courage to organize and grow their union base. ”

Union struggles for decent work building at Rio Tinto

In Namibia, Rio Tinto Rössing uranium mine management finally met with the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) on 28 January, nearly four months after workers rallied and demanded dialogue about ending exploitation of contractors. This includes paying some contractors only one-seventh as much as regular workers, forcing them to work longer hours with less job security and victimisation of union members.

“Rio Tinto says that freedom of association is one of its priority human rights issues,” stated IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan. “The company must take responsibility for its Namibian contract employees being denied this right.”

Although MUN’s continuing pressure forced Rio Tinto management to agree to a meeting, the company recently announced it intends to outsource all conveyor maintenance jobs. MUN plans to keep up pressure on the company and awaits a response to its demands.

In Iceland, unions have worked for over a year without a collective bargaining agreement. They are resisting Rio Tinto’s plan to outsource a large fraction of the aluminium smelter’s workforce to contractors paid significantly less than direct employees. The company has refused to agree that the outsourced jobs be paid the same as direct employees.

The unions in Iceland continue discussions with the company and have recently networked with the Rio Tinto Global Union Network to develop strategy.

In Australia, the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) held a rally on 29 January to protest Rio Tinto replacing a vessel represented by MUA with one whose workers’ pay and conditions are far inferior. The workers transport alumina from a Rio Tinto refinery to a Rio Tinto aluminium smelter.

The vessel Rio Tinto plans to now charter is Greek owned, with a Liberian flag and a full Filipino crew.

“We are being replaced by the most exploited workers in the world. Workers who have no say, workers who can’t go to the boss and say, ‘No, I’m not going to do that job because it’s unsafe,’” said MUA assistant national secretary Warren Smith.

Unions representing workers at Rio Tinto in fourteen countries sent a letter to Rio Tinto’s CEO on 7 October requesting to work collaboratively with the company to address problems related to the company’s increasing use of precarious labour.

“The current disputes at Rio Tinto in Australia, Iceland and Namibia are part of a global problem,” said Kemal Özkan. “We’re ready to work together with the company to seek a global solution.”

IndustriALL solidarity for Somali union leader after assassination attempt

IndustriALL Global Union joins the ITUC in denouncing the attempted murder and in calling for action from the Somali government to stop the intimidation and take all appropriate measures to prevent further attacks on trade unionists in the country.

Omar Faruk Osman is General Secretary of the ITUC-affiliated Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU). FESTU is the first independent and democratic trade union centre in the country.

The FESTU General Secretary was entering the union’s office when three armed men sprayed his car with bullets on Taleex Street. It is only by good fortune that Omar Faruk escaped death, but one of his bodyguards and two pedestrians were seriously wounded.

It is well known that Omar Faruk has been threatened many times by some radical groups and other members of the Somalian government because of his commitment to build a strong and independent union in his country. This assassination attempt can also be linked to Omar Faruk’ s recent position denouncing a controversial media law passed by the Somalia parliament which is described as a threat to media freedom in the country.

In a public statement, FESTU president Ahmed Osman said:

“FESTU is here to stay and no amount of attacks and attempts on the lives of our leaders will stop us from fulfilling our historic mission, which is to liberate workers from exploitation, oppression and subjugation.”

IndustriALL has reported in the past of intimidation, threats and bombs against FESTU and its efforts to organize workers.

IndustriALL welcomes new Somali oil union

Somali Union of Petroleum & Gas Workers (SUPEGW) currently has 1484 members, of whom 539 are female workers. 97 delegates from Southern and Northern regions of Somalia, including 44 women attended the founding congress.

The first elected SUPEGW national president Mohamed Mohamud said, “Now that I have the skills and I am part of a trade union, I feel confident in negotiating better wages and terms and conditions for work. Over the next few weeks and months, we are going to step up the campaign to give workers their voice.”

Mohamud also added, “We came together to organize, promote and defend the socio-economic and political interest of the petroleum and gas workers in Somalia. We shall strive to ensure fair labour practice between workers and management.”

Minister of Somalia petroleum and mineral resources who attended the founding national congress as an observer committed to be working closely with the new union.

Oil and gas sector is of vital importance for Somalia. The country has a huge onshore and offshore oil and gas potential, a number of transnational companies are present in the country including Conoco-Phillips, Shell, British Petroleum, Amoco, Eni, Total and Texaco.

Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary said,

The fight for decent working conditions and wages, job security and benefits in oil and gas industry is paramount for Somalia workers. IndustriALL Global Union welcomes the birth of a new force in Somalia trade union movement and will render all possible support to the newly formed Somali Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers.”